No to tax exiles passports

Poll provides support for Labour party policy of revoking the travel documents of wealthy citizens who live abroad for tax purposes

More than half of all adults in Ireland believe tax exiles should not be entitled to hold Irish passports. The RedC opinion poll carried out for The Sunday Times found that 52% of people thought Irish citizens who live abroad for tax purposes should not be allowed to hold a passport. Another 26% said they should be given a passport, and 22% were undecided.

Those most opposed to granting passports to tax exiles were in the higher social categories and in full time employment, while Dubliners were more opposed than any others.

In July, Eamon Gilmore, the Labour leader, said his party would revoke the passports of wealthy tax exiles.

More than 5,800 people are claiming this status, at a cost to the state of about €175m a year.

RedC interviewed a random sample of 1,005 adults across the country by telephone between October 4 and 6.